Slidell comedian Mike Strecker releases book with crawfish, 'who dat,' and other NOLA jokes for kids

Updated November 9, 2018 at 10:04 AM;Posted November 9, 2018 at 10:00 AM

"Jokes for Crescent City Kids," by Slidell native and comedian Mike Strecker, was just released by Pelican Publishing. It includes jokes and puns expected to resonate with youngsters reared in southeastern Louisiana. ((Pelican Publishing photo))

Slidell native and comedian Mike Strecker has turned his penchant for a lighthearted turn-of-phrase into helping kids delight each other, and perhaps even someday become entertainers themselves. His new book released by Pelican Publishing Company, "Jokes for Crescent City Kids," is a collection of kids' jokes and puns steeped in the themes and traditions of New Orleans.

This is the second children's joke book released by Strecker, and follows on the heels of the 2017 Amazon bestselling series, "Young Comic's Guide to Telling Jokes."

This time Strecker doesn't stray far from home, relying partly on things he recalls from his upbringing and partly on things that will appeal to children reared today in southeastern Louisiana.

Strecker said while growing up, he was always fascinated by local culture and traditions.

"Of course, as a child I did not realize things like Mr. Bingle, Etouffee and Moon Pie parades were unique to our area," he said, referring to some favorites of childhood.

"I honestly thought everyone in the country lived in a parish, was Catholic, and knew where the neutral ground was," he said. "It wasn't until I was older that I realized these things, for the most part, belonged only to us."

He said when he was writing his first book series, he kept coming up with ideas that were New Orleans-centric.

"I liked the jokes but knew that only kids from here would understand them," he said.

Of course, they were left out of that series, only to be resurrected now for "Jokes for Crescent City Kids." It was time for a collection specifically aimed at youngsters reared as much on mass American popular culture as on poboys and andouille-flavored red beans. Strecker said the new book was written for "Louisiana children and NOLA kids at heart."

"As I was writing the jokes, all these memories from my childhood of Elmer's candies, and crabbing, and crawfish boils, and Saints games, came flooding back to me," he said. "They are all here in the wordplay, puns, and 'Knock, Knock, Who Dat,' jokes that fill this book."

"It's like an inside joke we can all share with our kids," he said.

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"Jokes for Crescent City Kids" (Pelican, 2018) is written by Mike Strecker and illustrated by Vernon Smith. It is available at local bookstores -- including Barnes and Noble -- or online via Amazon.com.

Author and entertainment contributor Kara Martinez Bachman may be reached at kara@KaraMartinezBachman.com or via Facebook.com/BachmanWrites. She welcomes your news tips and story ideas.